This invention relates to semiconductor processing methods of forming devices on or over a substrate, forming device arrays on or over a substrate, forming conductive lines on or over a substrate, and forming capacitor arrays on or over a substrate. The invention also relates to semiconductor device arrays, and in particular to series of conductive lines and capacitor arrays.
Circuit devices which are fabricated on or over semiconductor wafers typically undergo one or more photolithographic steps during formation. During such photolithographic steps, device features can be etched using conventional techniques. The spacing between such devices is important because often times adjacent devices must be electrically isolated from one another to avoid undesirable shorting conditions.
One of the limitations on device spacing stems from limitations inherent in the photolithographic process itself. In the prior art, devices are generally spaced only as close as the photolithographic limit will permit.
By way of example and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a semiconductor wafer fragment is indicated generally by reference numeral 25. Fragment 25 includes a substrate 29 atop which a material 28 is provided. A plurality of patterned masking layers 26 are formed atop material 28.
Referring to FIG. 3, material 28 is anisotropically etched to form lines 30 atop substrate 29. As shown, individual lines have respective widths L1 which constitute the minimum photolithographic feature size available for a line. Typically, a separation S1 separates adjacent lines across the substrate as shown. Such dimension is typically only slightly larger than L1 but could be the same as L1. The term xe2x80x9cpitchxe2x80x9d as used in this document is intended to be in its conventional usage, and is defined as the distance between one edge of a device and the corresponding same edge of the next adjacent device. Accordingly and in the illustrated example, the pitch between adjacent lines P1 (i.e., from the left illustrated edge of one line to the left illustrated edge of the next immediately adjacent line) is equal to the sum of L1 and S1.
As integrated circuitry gets smaller and denser, the need to reduce spacing dimensions or pitch, such as S1 and P1, becomes increasingly important. This invention grew out of the need to reduce the size of integrated circuits, and particularly the need to reduce spacing dimensions and pitches between adjacent devices over a semiconductor wafer.
The invention includes semiconductor processing methods and related integrated circuitry in which a plurality of patterned device outlines are formed over a semiconductor substrate. Electrically insulative partitions or spacers are then formed on at least a portion of the patterned device outlines, after which a plurality of substantially identically shaped devices are formed relative to the patterned device outlines. Individual formed devices are spaced from at least one other of the devices by a distance substantially no more than a width of one of the electrically insulative spacers.
According to one aspect of the invention, elongated electrically conductive lines are formed. According to another aspect of the invention, capacitors are formed. In one preferred implementation of the latter aspect, a pair of adjacent capacitor containers are formed over a substrate by etching a first capacitor container opening having at least one sidewall. An electrically insulative spacer is formed over the sidewall. A second capacitor container opening is etched selectively relative to the spacer. Capacitors are then formed in the capacitor containers in a manner such that adjacent capacitors have a separation distance which is substantially no greater than the width of the spacer between the adjacent capacitors.
A novel masking layout is provided which allows capacitors to be formed in a manner which reduces device pitch by almost 50%. Such is particularly adaptive for use in fabrication of DRAM circuitry.